Iwobi Not Yet Eligible For Dream Team Assignment

Whispers from the camp of the Dream Team VI have revealed to SportingLife that Arsenal U-21 wonderkid, Alex Iwobi won’t be eligible to feature for the U-23 side and  his clearance from FIFA is being processed to have him play for the Super Eagles alone.


Local media is awash with the report that Iwobi, who is born to a Nigerian father may play for the U-23 team under Samson Siasia but the media officer of the team, Timi Ebikagboro has told Nigerians to think otherwise.

He said the main reason why he was invited for the Dream Team VI tune up games before the start of the All African Games’ (AAG) qualifiers and his trip with the team to Gabon was to dissuade him from honouring the call of the England national team whom he had featured for at U-17 level.

Ebikagboro told SportingLife that Iwobi’s invitation to the Dream Team VI was to allow him bond with the players and the environment of his country of origin until the clearance from FIFA will come for him to be eligible for the Super Eagles.

“I want to tell you that Iwobi is not eligible to play for Nigeria at the U-23 or any other age grade competition because FIFA’s rules on players switch of nationality are very clear. If a player has represented another country at any age grade competition, he is not qualified to play for another country he is willing to change to in another age grade competition. He can only play for the Super Eagles but because we don’t want to lose him to England, we decided to invite him to the U-23 camp knowing fully well that he won’t play.

“But we wanted him to bond with the players, the country’s environment and also to have a sense of belonging that we love him and want him to play for the Super Eagles,” Ebikagboro told SportingLife.

I8-years-old Iwobi has played for the Arsenal U-21 11 times in the youth league this season and has netted against Stoke City U-21, Wolvehampton Wanderers U-21 and Newcastle United U-21 even from his midfield position.